China Railway Group has announced an early stage agreement to begin construction of a high speed rail line between the South African cities of Johannesburg and Durban, the Department of Transport said. The memorandum of understanding includes $30 billion worth of rail projects to be jointly built and financed by the South Africa’s Standard Chartered Bank and the Chinese, according to Bloomberg.

Although this will be first major high speed rail project in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa is already home to the continent’s first high speed train system, the Gautrain.

The Gautrain began service just in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, connecting the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria. The main function of the first phase of the Gautrain is to shave time off the lengthy, congested journey between the two important cities, for those who can afford the steep ticket price. However a rail link between Johannesburg and Durban would serve more than commuters, helping to bolster intercity travel in the region.

As China rapidly expands its own network of high speed rail trains, it is also hoping to become a major exporter of train technology to countries throughout the world. In August, China announced plans to invest $10 billion into Argentina’s rail system.

Image: Peerie